Metal Excess News Desk #2

2 days before the album’s Best Buy release, GNR’s very own MySpace page now has every track up for your streaming pleasure. Listen, and be amazed. I’ve been familiar with most of this album for the past 7 years, but I’ll be there Sunday at Best Buy to grab the CD.

In related news, Mirror.co.uk is reporting that Axl has disappeared in the midst of all the Democracy buzz, reportedly to work on the band’s “comeback” and to make it “go off the scale”.

As GNR Readies to Conquer the World (again), Velvet Revolver is Back to Square One (again)

Classic Rock hears that Velvet Revolver – currently looking for a singer to replace Scott Weiland – have parted ways with their record company, RCA.

…But we also hear that the band are pleased with their new found freedom as it leaves them free to put out a new album on their own label.

No singer (though the search is apparently infinitely “ongoing”) and now no label. On top of that Slash is also concentrating a solo album. Methinks the end of VR is nigh.

I figured a label drop was a long time coming. Contraband did very well (selling just short of 3x platinum), but when Libertad failed to even go gold, I knew it was only a matter of time before they got dropped because the music industry demands sales right out the gate or you’re done. They don’t want to assemble a stable of consistent, selling polished acts, they want megahits. Weiland leaving was just the nail in the coffin for label support.

What does the future hold for Kiss?
It looks like we’ll be touring Europe as well as the States next year. You’ll be getting more of what you saw at the Download festival this past summer – the Kiss Alive! vibe amped up to the max. There might even be a new Kiss album at some point. I have been ambivalent to the idea in the past but I’m much more open to it now.

Why is that?
Well, I thought that I’d be content for Kiss to remain a heritage act, just playing our greatest hits – Detroit Rock City and all that. But the new Kiss line-up with Tommy Thayer (guitar) and Eric Singer (drums) is proving to be so good, so strong in spirit, it would interesting to see how we perform in the studio. I must stress that no recording time has been booked at this point. But it if we were to go into the studio, the intention would be to make a Kiss album in the style of our 1970s recordings. A classic Kiss album, unmistakably.

(Read more in the January issue of Classic Rock, on sale December 10.)

Wow, this is AWESOME news! Paul’s gone on the record for years saying that the fans don’t *want* new KISS songs. Well… I do! A new KISS album would be right up there with Chinese Democracy anticipation for me. I’m really excited about Eric & Tommy on the record. For new material, this would be definitely be the best line up to give us some killer new material and musicianship. All the respect in the world for Peter & Ace, but I honestly don’t think they’re needed creatively.

It looks like Sebastian Bach likes both kinds of music. Country AND Western.

Following on from the CMT show Gone Country, Bach has been transforming himself from a metal manic to a country crooner.

At Sebastianbach.com, you can already hear a sample of what to expect with the song ‘Battle With The Bottle’. The song has already been made a power pick on CMT.

Next Bach will be performing a few shows in Vegas on December 10 and 11 with John Rich of Big and Rich.

Bach says he currently has around 15 country songs “under construction”.

Um… Where’s our Angel Down follow up he was working on? TELL ME this is not his Angel Down follow up! TELL ME he hasn’t gone the Bon Jovi/Def Leppard route. >=( I’ll put up with you rapping, Baz, but don’t get sucked into the easy money of country music!

Seriously, Angel Down was one of last year’s most pleasant surprises and one of the best albums released. I just played it again a few days ago. I just hope he doesn’t get stars in his eyes as *other* rock acts have done and forget about his roots.